Troye Sivan hits out at Eminem over homophobic slurs
CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 01: Eminem performs at Samsung Galaxy stage during 2014 Lollapalooza Day One at Grant Park on August 1, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Troye Sivan has hit out at Eminem’s repeated use of homophobic slurs.
In August, Eminem dropped a new album which included anti-gay attacks on fellow rapper Tyler, The Creator.
Troye Sivan has spoken out about Eminem (John Sciulli/Getty)
Kamikaze album track “Fall” features the lyrics: “Tyler create nothing, I see why you called yourself a faggot, bitch/It’s not just ’cause you like attention.
“It’s ’cause you worship D12’s balls, you’re sac-rilegious/If you’re gonna critique me, you better at least be as good or better.”
His target Tyler, The Creator, has been open about dating men and referenced his sexuality on 2017 album Flower Boy.
Eminem has a long history of anti-LGBT lyrics, but the rapper’s latest effort appears to have been the tipping point for many.
Speaking to Variety, “Bloom” singer Troye Sivan challenged his repeated use of slurs.
Sivan said: “I don’t think there’s ever really a reason. I just feel like some words are not meant for everyone, or for anyone.
“It’s not that hard to respect that, so I just hope that people do.”
Eminem (Kevin Winter/Getty)
Asked if an apology was enough, Sivan referenced the rapper’s long anti-LGBT history.
He said: “I don’t really know. I would like to believe that people can grow and change.
“I think that repeated behaviour is something that should be taken really seriously, but I would love to believe that if the person showed enough genuine remorse and understanding of how they’ve hurt people and actively made strides to correct that — I would like to believe I can be fine with that person.”
Eminem has since admitted the track crossed a line, though he did not actually apologise.
He said: “I was angry when I said the shit about Tyler,
“The word that I called him… that song was one of the things where I felt like, ‘This might be too far.’ Because in my quest to hurt him, I realised that I was hurting a lot of other people by saying it.”
Eminem has come under fire for the lyrics – not for the first time (Dave J Hogan/Getty)
“Fall” also features Justin Vernon, the frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver, who has expressed his revulsion with the slurs.
Vernon responded to a fan who congratulated him for “Fall,” writing: “Was not in the studio for the Eminem track… came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it.”
It is not the first time Eminem has come under fire for anti-gay lyrics.
Eminem has claimed previously that his use of anti-gay slurs such as “dyke” and “faggot” are not actually aimed at the LGBT+ community.
In a song titled “Criminal” on his second studio album. The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem’s lyrics include: “My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/ That’ll stab you in the head, whether you’re a fag or lez/ Or the homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest/Pants or dress? Hate fags? The answer’s yes.”
The rapper previously also came under fire for homophobic lyrics in his 2013 single “Rap God”.
He told Rolling Stone that he hadn’t used the words “fag” or “faggot” in a homophobic way, saying he hadn’t “really equated” they would come across that way.
He said: “That word, those kind of words, when I came up battle-rappin’ or whatever, I never really equated those words …
“Yeah. It was more like calling someone a bitch or a punk or asshole. So that word was just thrown around so freely back then.”
Many found it a hard line to believe though, with the very first verse talking about breaking “a motherf***ing table over the back of a couple faggots and crack it in half,” before adding, “You fags think it’s all a game.”
Eminem (TORBEN CHRISTENSEN/AFP/Getty)
“Rap God” continues: “Little gay-looking boy / So gay I can barely say it with a straight face-looking boy.
“You witnessing massacre like you watching a church gathering taking place-looking boy / ‘Oy vey, that boy’s gay,’ that’s all they say looking-boy.”
In 2015 he turned his fire on Caitlyn Jenner, rapping: “I invented prick, and that’s a true statement, I see the bitch in you, Caitlyn / I keep the pistol tucked like Bruce Jenner’s dick.”
In 2010, Eminem came out in support of same-sex marriage, surprising many.
He said: “I think if two people love each other, then what the hell? I think that everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable, if they want.
“It’s the new tolerant me! My overall look on things is a lot more mature than it used to be.”
